Crimes of the Centuries
The Cases That Changed Us
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A fascinating pop-history dive into the stories behind the incredibly impactful crimes—both infamous and little-known—that have shaped the legal system as we know it.
When asked why true crime is so in vogue, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Amber Hunt always has the same answer: it’s no hotter than it’s always been. Crimes and trials have captured American consciousness since the Salem Witch Trials in the seventeenth century. And these cases over the centuries have fundamentally changed our society and shifted our legal system, resulting in the laws we have today and setting the stage for new rights and protections. From the first recorded murder trial led by the first legal dream team, to one of the earliest uses of DNA, these cases will fascinate.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hunt (Unsolved Murders) effectively translates her true crime podcast of the same name with this diverting dive into cases that prompted major changes in the American legal system between the late 19th century and 1982. Dividing the cases into five categories—"Civil Rights Catalysts," "Law Changers," "Forensic Advancers," "Societal Shifters," and "Unsolved with Impact"—Hunt highlights five examples per category, summarizing each case's known facts before analyzing its cultural consequences. Some, like the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City, are widely known: the blaze killed nearly 150 people due to a lack of adequate safeguards, leading to sweeping labor reforms. Others, like the 1964 murder of Queens, N.Y., bartender Kitty Genovese (which led to the creation of the nation's first 911 system), get reframed: Hunt notes that the persistent narrative that multiple witnesses knew Genovese was being attacked and did nothing to help her is broadly inaccurate. Throughout, Hunt goes for breadth rather than depth. As a result, some chapters, like her brief rundown of the Osage Nation murders covered by David Grann in Killers of the Flower Moon, feel rushed and slightly superficial. Still, readers seeking a springboard for additional research will be rewarded with a brisk and fascinating overview of American criminal history. Photos.
